The Darkness of the Tide
by digitalg0dd3ss
Summary: Chapter Two: Yea! Reviews! Five cookies to the five reviewers! I'll try to keep updates steady, but not too quick. Mystery Character, Terra, Setzer love triangle! READ AND REVIEW! Please? And I'll give you a cookie!
1. One

A/N: Hey everyone! New here to fanfiction! Long time reader and writer, first time submitter. I've seen a lot of stories on here that I really liked, but now I wanna submit something! So...this is my story! I've always liked Edgar and Terra coupling, but...I wanted to do something different. All characters and places belong to Square-Enix.  
  
The Darkness of the Tide  
  
Chapter One  
  
Pounding. There was no other sound that echoed more in her head than that constant pounding. It never ceased. It always increased. Pounding, harder and harder. It was as if there was someone banging on the walls of her head. Pounding. She clasped her hands over her ears hoping and praying the pounding would stop. Yet, it never did. Pounding. When she opened her eyes, the pounding came out from her mind and into the world around her. The walls throbbed towards her. The floors shook with a heavy hand. She sunk into the bed, pulling the thick blankets over her head. She closed her eyes; hoping and praying the pounding would stop. Pounding.  
  
She sat up and shook her head, the green curls falling down in front of her face. She blinked a few times, letting a few drops of crystalline tears to fall out. Today marked the six-month anniversary of the defeat of Kefka. Yet, the continuing pounding still mocked her. Many people believed that it was an after effect from her loss of magic.  
  
Terra had begun to believe that. There was no other way to explain it. She pulled the blankets closer to her as she had begun to lie down once more. She let out one soft sigh. Every night, it took her hours to go to bed solely because of that pounding. She had no one to stay in her room and help prevent the pounding from continuing on.  
  
She stared up at the wood ceiling, knowing that there was to be nothing to come of it. Here she lay, in the middle of a ghost town, with no one around. She stifled a sigh. Katarin and Duane had left, hoping to bring their child to a better town, naming the newly built Central Figaro, which lay a few hundred miles from South Figaro. Many of the kids had run off with them. Without the help of the only other adults, many other kids had run off to the veldt and became thieves.  
  
It was during these nights that Terra had realized what the world was coming to. 'Edgar had declared this the New World.' She let out a sigh. 'New World? The World before this was the New World. This...this world here? This is the World of Ruin.' She sat up some more, and pulled the blankets around her. There was no way she could sleep. She released the blankets and slipped out of bed, pushing her feet into her lilac slippers. She walked a few feet to the wall adjacent to her bed and grabbed the lilac robe hanging from it. She placed it on and tied the belt.  
  
She walked gracefully down the roundabout stairs. She let her fingers brush the aged books that lie on the shelf. She walked into the kitchen and placed the teakettle on the wood stove. She opened the door and noted there was no wood. "Damn," she mumbled in a mumbled voice. She walked over to the other side of the kitchen and picked up three pieces of wood, placed them in the stove, and lit a stick from the lantern hanging from the ceiling. She placed the stick in the stove and shut the door.  
  
She walked out into the living room and curled up on the couch. From under the stairs, a muffled yawn emerged. Terra whistled softly and out came an all black dog. "Come here, you bum," she mumbled. The dog trotted towards the couch and sat right in front of her. "Good boy."  
  
She patted Interceptor on the head. After Kefka's Tower had fallen, she took Interceptor under her wing. His owner was dead and there was no one else to take care of him. The little company he gave was all she needed at this point. She scratched him behind the ears and his head cocked towards her head.  
  
Abruptly, there was a knock on the door. Terra stood up and walked wistfully towards the door. Interceptor was already there by the time she got there. The chains on the door allowed her to open the door far enough where she could see. Interceptor stood there, growling menacingly.  
  
"Terra! Let me in! It's pouring out here!"  
  
She shut the door and pulled the chain off. Again, she opened the door, only to see the one man she ever wanted to see. He walked in and shook himself off like a dog. "Hey!" she let out, holding up her hands in defense.  
  
"It's coming down pretty hard!" he said as he removed the jacket. "Brought someone along with me, this time!"  
  
She strolled back to the couch and sat down. Whoever it was could just leave her alone. The first man removed his hat, revealing tufted brown hair held in place by a matted bandana. He removed his shoes and jumped down on the couch.  
  
The next man to walk in had a long black, hooded cape which he quickly tore off and threw out on the porch. "Good evening, Terra!"  
  
"Hello, Setzer. Hello, Locke," she mumbled out. She pulled her legs up to her chest and inhaled the scent of the rain. Setzer quickly shut the door and pulled off his boots. "How was treasure hunting, boys?"  
  
The two smiled. "Have we got a present for you!" Locke stood up and pulled a heavy book out of his pack. He placed it on the coffee table and allowed Interceptor to sniff it. "Found it in the Ancient Castle."  
  
Terra picked it up and opened up the first page. It was a complete different language. "Interesting."  
  
Although Mobliz had by now turned into a ghost town, Locke would visit her every other night. She never knew why, but she did enjoy it. She also enjoyed the fact that Celes was out of the page. Celes had decided to go and govern the southern continent, Locke left. He enjoyed his freedom too much to settle down and become a politician. Terra yearned for Locke, but knew there was never to be anything of it. Even when Locke did come, he stayed for a few moments and left again. Terra was used to the solitary life.  
  
She looked at Setzer. How could one man, in six months, change so quickly? He had cut his hair dramatically. He no longer had the long flowing mane, but now it was short, silver, and spiky. His scars were now fully apparent, and yet charming at the same time. He didn't wear the long cloak, rather a short jacket and relaxed pants. "Won't you sit?" she asked, trying to be hospitable.  
  
He nodded his head and pulled the wicker chair from across the room and towards the coffee table. "Can you decipher it?" Setzer asked. Locke had changed him into as much a thief as he was.  
  
She opened the pages and looked at one of the passages. "I'm not sure." Locke would always give her all the books he collected. She had, by this time, read every single one twice over. She had taught herself ancient languages and even the Magi War. "It looks a lot like Neraphic, but it's completely different." She paused and looked at the two. "It may take a while."  
  
Locke stretched out on the couch. "Mobliz looks like it needs some help in reparations. Got anything better to do, Setzer?"  
  
He shrugged. "The Falcon took on some heavy hits in this storm. I think I better give it a few days to rest."  
  
Terra's face lit up with a passion. "Really?" she said, her voice exciting and upbeat, just as it used to.  
  
Locke smiled. "Sure. Plus, we cleaned out that old castle and there's not many places to travel now." 


	2. Two

A/N: YAY!!! Thank you everyone to who reviewed! See...reviews make me happy! Me happy makes the writing increase. The writing increase makes you readers happy! And the cycle continues! And just to let everyone know, I really do appreciate all the criticism! The later chapters will explain a lot more, I hope. Don't worry, Setzer will change yet again! Again, Square- Enix owns the characters and places and blah blah blah...  
  
The Darkness of the Tide  
  
Chapter Two  
  
The rain had now stopped. Terra was comfortably stretching on her bed. Interceptor, with his heavy paws, padded his way towards the bed. He placed his great big muzzle at the foot of her bed and looked straight at her. Terra pulled the blankets over her and patted the bed. Interceptor leapt right up and curled into a tight ball right at her feet. She grunted softly and she pulled more covers over her. She had her relaxing chamomile tea and was prepared to sleep now. Setzer was stretched out on the floor of her living room while Locke was resting on the couch. She was amazed at how the two fell dead asleep.  
  
Terra watched the walls, hoping the darkness would consume her and place her in a deep sleep. She didn't feel tired, but she didn't feel awake. She felt as if all her energy was sucked out of her and she could do absolutely nothing. She scratched the back of her head and closed her eyes, hoping that would help.  
  
Pounding.  
  
She opened her eyes and blinked a few times. After a couple of moments, and not hearing the pounding, she closed her eyes once more.  
  
Pounding.  
  
She sat up. Her eyes wide open. This wasn't the same pounding that echoed her blanked mind. This was...a pounding against her window. She looked out into the darkened sky and let out a scream. Interceptor tossed his head up towards her and growled directly at the shadowed person outside.  
  
Terra grabbed her sheets, surrounding herself in them when she heard her door slam open. "What's wrong!" Setzer screamed. His short hair was in a total mess. "I heard you scream!"  
  
"There's someone out there!" she yelled out as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. Interceptor leapt from the bed and darted downstairs. Terra pulled off her sheets, revealing her lilac colored lingerie. She placed her slippers on and grabbed her short sword, darting after Interceptor.  
  
Setzer stood there, shocked that he saw Terra in her unmentionables. He shook his head and chased after her.  
  
Terra's house was on the ground level, thus leaving her room open towards the fields. The downstairs portion was underground, for protection. Out the front door, there was a porch with a set of stairs leading up to ground level. Terra decided to take the back door and through a tunnel that led up to the back of her house. She flung her slippers off in the kitchen and padded her way through the mud.  
  
The man outside was now walking around the house. Suddenly, without Terra even knowing, Interceptor leapt at the man. The man, a rather large man at that, screamed out in pain as Interceptor hooked onto his arm. Terra flew into battle, ready and prepared to kill this stranger. "Stop!" he called out, trying to remove Interceptor. "Its me! Sabin!"  
  
The garden lights flashed on and surprisingly, it was Sabin. Terra threw down her sword and quickly grabbed Interceptor's jaw. He released on instant. "Sabin! What the hell were you thinking?" she screamed out, slamming her open palm directly across his face.  
  
He let out a small yelp. Setzer came walking from the other side, seeing Sabin standing there. "Hey there, you!" he yelled out happily. Sabin turned around and patted the gambler on the back. "What are you doing here?"  
  
"Traveling. I saw the lights on in, what I'm assuming is Terra's room, thinking that I could sleep here until morning. I didn't think that Terra lived here by herself." He rubbed the back of his head with his injured arm. "No one answered the door so, I just knocked on the window."  
  
Terra rubbed her throat gently. She almost felt sorry for Sabin, solely because of his injury, but also thought that he deserved it. 'Pounding on my window...," she thought angrily.  
  
Sabin turned and looked at Terra. He let out a slight cough. "Um. Was...did...I interrupt anything between you two?" he asked.  
  
Terra looked straight at him. "What are you talking about?"  
  
Setzer let out a soft laugh. "Terra, you're wearing very indecent battle clothes."  
  
She looked down and quickly turned and ran inside the tunnel entrance. Sabin let out a good laugh and walked around the house with Setzer. He patted his back and smiled at the man. "What's with the hair?" Sabin asked.  
  
"Eh...had to cut it. It got in the way during Locke's and mine treasure hunting."  
  
Sabin laughed a bit. "So, Locke's here, too?" he asked in an almost concerned tone.  
  
Setzer nodded his head and smiled. "Him and I are getting sick of traveling all the time so we're planning to move in here. Locke has been visiting Terra once and a while and told me how there's no one ever moving in here. So, we're thinking about fixing a few of the houses and moving to settle."  
  
Sabin laughed loudly now, holding his stomach as they walked into the tunnel. "Locke settling down? And you, on the ground?"  
  
Setzer let out a huff. "Yea well, what are you doing here?" he asked in a muffled tone.  
  
Sabin let out an almost grateful sigh. "Same thing as you."  
  
Terra walked out of her room, her lilac robe back on. She walked down the spiral staircase again and saw the two men sitting on the wicker chairs. They sat there talking quietly in a hush whisper. Terra looked over at the blob lying on the couch under the thick blue blanket. She let out a stifled laugh. "Are you just going to let him sleep?"  
  
Setzer and Sabin both looked up in awe as they saw the lilac swooping down the staircase. Setzer shook his head and stood up, offering the lady his seat. "Let him sleep, he had a long day."  
  
Terra just shrugged and sat right on top of the sleeping Locke. He let out a groan as his eyes flashed open. "Wha...?" he called out in his half woken comatose.  
  
"Wake up, stupid!" Sabin called out. He scratched his short hair and smiled towards the man attempting to sleep. "We have company!"  
  
Locke looked up at the person who was sitting on him. His saw Terra pull up her legs and curl her arms around her knees. He shrugged and smiled slightly. "K...you talk, I sleep."  
  
A/N: I know...bad ending...kinda being rushed with school work and all! 


End file.
